Wichita eagle., 1887-11-20
The dd1hia. Daily Eagle Sunday qnimo 7ouemb 20 1897.

king and stole a city. That is just what
Pharaoh, king of Egypt, did. Presently
we pass the half-ruined village of Lat
run. where tradition says was
once the home of the penitents,
they vino suffered with Christ on
the cross. By this time the sun
was becoming uncomfortably warm, and
we were delighted when our accommo-
dating guide informed US that we were
about to stop at a wayside restaurant for
rest and luncheon. This was Just at the
entrance of Babel-wady, or gate of the
valley, pass which led into the noun
tains of Judah and Benjamin over which
We were destined to have a long. rough,
tedious ride. However we took it as it
came, and after rest of two hours. more
for the sake of the tired horses than our
selves, we resumed the journey.
The mountainous road all the way now
to Jerusalem passes over country destl-
tute of everything except here and there
struggling orchard of olive trees, which
seem to thrive best III scanty soil and few
stunted bushes, not destitute. however.
of rocks, all of volcanic formation. We
pass an extensive village on our right
called Abu Gosh. once the roost of a pow
erful band of robbers who hOurished
about the year of 1918. 1t consisted of
seven brothers and their descendants.
and they were the terror of all pilgrims
until crushed by the Egyptian govern
ment. This village was anciently called
Kirjath Jearim and was the place where
the ark Of the covenant was deposited
for long period. Farther on Is another
robbers roost, rather picturesquely situ
ated on a steep hillside. \ brook flows
through narrow valley here
and on its banks is pleas
ant resort where we dismounted and
took cup of delicious Turkish coffee.
A fine store bridge spans the brook, and
here it is said occurred the encounter be-
tween David and Goliath The hills on
both sides OF the narrow valley are steep
and rocky. but wiJhal SO terraced. as TO
furnish admirable seats for the friends of
the respective champions to sit, out of
harms way and witness the tournament.
There is Just such pebbles in the brook as
q slingist Of David's proficiency would
be likely to select. I could picture to my
own mind these hill sides alive with on
lockers, the Philestines defiant and con-
ed faces and quaking hearts.
W tilillS 1Oi the AlOIICDlOuO IL
suit which should place them at the
mercy of their foes, or release them from
nightmare Of terror, and give the
little captain" the first place in the
affections of the people. Still this may
not have been the historic spot, but like
everything in the Holyland We must
take it on trust l am prepared to be-
lieve all | see and hear, even to the find
ing of the true cross in an old cistern by
st. Helena-the mother of Constantine,
in the fourth century.
Some distance away as we continue
our journey is pointed out the Greek
monastery Of the cross, where tradition
says is the grave Of Adam, and
the residence one time of Lot,
Soon we began to ascend that long,
rough, zigzag hill on the approach to
Mount Zion. Formerly when [ read the
expression 'going up to jerusalem l
construed it in the same sense as would
make use of the expression ''going up to
Valley Center but the approaches to
the Holy city are of that character that
the mind should grasp the idea in the
sense of going up Pixies Peak" From
the summit of the hill just described
there is an incline down q short ways to
Jerusalem. Here we pass a num-
Der of modern buildings, some in pro-
cess of construction, and in a few
are at the Jaffa gate-one of the
main entrances into the city. We dis
mount outside of the walls, and pass
the gate down the street Of
David to our hotel, which stands on Mt.
Zion close by the pool Of Hezekiah, and
not great way from the Holy sepul-
chre, where after journey Of only 40
miles but thrice that considering the
fatigue, we bid you brief farewell.
N. STEWART